Resilient hair dryer cushion

ABSTRACT

A head cushioning and hair drying facilitating cushion having waffle-like projections thereon. Facing sides of adjacent projections include free end portions which are divergent and adapted to cradle rollers on a person&#39;&#39;s head resting on the cushion. In addition, the cushion includes openings formed therethrough between adjacent projections for facilitating the passage of drying air to hair wound on hair rollers cradled between the outer ends of the projections.

United States Patent Glintz 1 Feb. 20, 1973 RESILIENT HAIR DRYER CUSHION i ary ExaminerB0bby R. Gay

Assistant ExaminerAndrew M. Calvert [76] inventor: Georgia E. Glllll'l, 2909 University Attorney Harvey Jacobsen et aL Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 503] l [22] Filed: Dec. 8, 1971 [2|] Appl. No.: 206,094 [57] ABSTRACT Related u.s. Application 0m Division of Mal'Ch 1970. A head cushioning and hair drying facilitating cushion having waffle-like projections thereon. Facing sides of adjacent projections include free end portions which [52] U.S. Cl. ..5/338, 5/347, 34/99 are divergent and adapted to cradle rollers on a per- [51] Int. Cl. ..A47g 9/00 sons head resting on the cushion. In addition, the

[58] Field of Search ..5/337, 338, 347, 334; 34/99 hi n includes Openings formed therethrough between adjacent projections for facilitating the [56] References Cited passage of drying air to hair wound on hair rollers cradled between the outer ends of the projections.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,319,272 5/1967 Eller ..5/338 2,897,741 8/1959 Mauch .5134? X 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED F5520 i973 w wwmmwwiwwwwmm Fig. 4

RESILIENT HAIR DRYER CUSHION This application comprises a division of my co-pending US. application Ser. No. 18,558 for Hair Dryer with Removable Lay on Resilient Cushion, filed March 11, 1970, now US. Pat. No. 3,641,682 patented Feb. 15, 1972.

This invention relates to a resilient head cushion for use by persons having their hair up. in rollers. When a person having her hair rolled on rollers rests her head against conventional cushions, the major portion of the weight of the persons head is concentrated upon those areas of the head contacted by the rollers supporting the weight of the persons head. Accordingly, at least some discomfort is encountered when a person wearing hair rollers lays her head against conventional pillows. In addition, if a person having her hair in rollers rests her head against a conventional pillow while her hair is drying, those portions of her hair contacted by the pillow or cushion or in very close proximity to the cushion do not dry as rapidly as exposed portions of her hair.

Accordingly, it is the main object of this invention to provide a head cushion for persons having their hair rolled on rollers.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a cushion or pad constructed in a manner whereby the flow of air to those portions of the rolled hair contacting or closely adjacent the cushion will be facilitated.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a cushion in accordance with the preceding objects and constructed in a manner whereby recesses are defined by the cushion opening outwardly of the surface thereof adapted to have a person's head resting thereon with the recesses of a size to at least partially embrace and receive hair rollers therein so that at least some portions of a persons head resting upon the cushion or pad may be supported directly from the latter.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a resilient head cushion in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms in manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the cushion of the instant invention received within a hair dryer en closure and with the head of a person at least partially received within the enclosure and resting upon the cushion;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially from the plane indicated by the section line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating the relative positions of a pair of hair rollers supported from the head of a person using the cushion in relation to the latter; and

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the cushion.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the hair dryer disclosed in my above mentioned prior patent and which is seen to include a molded generally spherical plastic hood 12 supported in overlying relation relative to a base 14. The base 14 is hollow and includes an air inlet neck 16 to which the outlet end 18 of a flexible air conduit 20 is connected. The inlet end of the conduit 20 is adapted to be communicated with the outlet of a conventional hot air blower.

As a result of air being blown into the interior of the hollow base 14, heated air is discharged outwardly through the small diameter apertures or openings 22 formed in the inner wall portion 24 of the hood 12 which also includes an imperforated outer wall portion 26.

The base includes a top wall 28 having a plurality of openings 30 formed therethrough and heated air is accordingly also blown upwardly through the openings 30, the base including upstanding air guides or baffles 32 supported from the bottom wall 34 of the base 14 whereby heated air directed into the base 14 through the neck 16 is evenly distributed to the openings 30.

The resilient hair dryer cushion of the instant invention is referred to in general by the reference numeral 38 and includes a base member or panel 40 having a plurality of upwardly projecting generally parallel projections 42 disposed in parallel rows spaced both lengthwise and transversely across the upward surface of the base member or panel 40. The base member or panel 40 and the projections 42 are intervally formed and constructed of shape retentive resilient material. Further, the base member or panel 40 has a plurality of openings 44 formed therethrough which are registered with the openings 30 when the cushion 38 is disposed within the base 14 on the top wall 28. Therefore, it may be seen that hot air pumped into the hollow base 14, in addition to passing outwardly of the apertures 22, also is pumped upwardly through the openings 30 and 44 for discharging from between the projections 42.

Each of the projections 42 is generally square in horizontal cross section with the four corner portions thereof provided with partial cylindrical concave recesses 46 co-extensive with the corresponding portions of the associated openings 44. Also, the upper ends of the projections 42 include upwardly converging lateral sides 48 concaved at the top. This particular shape is of special advantage because the facing inclined sides 48 of adjacent projections form supporting surfaces for a roller 50. Due to the resilient characteristics of the projections 46, the projections yield to receive rollers 50, pins and the like therebetween so that the person s head rests against the truncated tops 52 of the projections 46. Thus, annoying pressure on the head, usually exerted by the rollers 50, is reduced.

Although the cushion 38 is illustrated and described herein as forming a part of the hair dryer 10, it is to be noted that the cushion 38 may also be disposed on other support surfaces such as a bed mattress or the like thereby enabling a person wearing the curlers 50 to rest more comfortably while sleeping without the rollers 50 causing undue pressure on her head. Further, the cushion 38 may be utilized over other cushions while a person rests her head in a chair or on a couch. The cushion 38 will not only facilitate drying of hair wound about the curlers or rollers 50, but will also protect the conventional cushion upon which the cushion 38 rests from being dampened by the damp hair of the person utilizing the cushion 38.

In constructing the cushion 38, many suitable shape retaining and resilient materials may be utilized and the cushion 38 may be constructed of a greater vertical thickness, if desired.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within th scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A cushion for use by a person having her hair rolled on rollers or curlers, said cushion having upwardly extending projections arranged in two sets of parallel rows of spaced projections with the rows of one set disposed at substantially right angles relative to the rows of the other set of rows and each projection being disposed in a row of each set of rows of projections, the opposing sides of the upper ends of the projections of one set of rows of projections including upwardly and inwardly bevelled surfaces, the opposing bevelled surfaces of the projections of adjacent rows of said one set of rows of projections being adapted to cradle opposite underside surface portions of hair rollers .worn by a person's head resting upon the cushion, the spacing between adjacent opposing portions of the projections below said bevelled surfaces, in adjacent rows of said one set of rows, being less than the diameter of an average size hair roller, said cushion including upstanding air passages formed therethrough with each opening being disposed between the lower ends of a grouping of four adjacent projections arranged in a substantially square pattern. I

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the upper ends of said projections are flat and generally coplanar.

* i l l 

1. A cushion for use by a person having her hair rolled on rollers or curlers, said cushion having upwardly extending projections arranged in two sets of parallel rows of spaced projections with the rows of one set disposed at substantially right angles relative to the rows of the other set of rows and each projection being disposed in a row of each set of rows of projections, the opposing sides of the upper ends of the projections of one set of rows of projections including upwardly and inwardly bevelled surfaces, the opposing bevelled surfaces of the projections of adjacent rows of said one set of rows of projections being adapted to cradle opposite underside surface portions of hair rollers worn by a person''s head resting upon the cushion, the spacing between adjacent opposing portions of the projections below said bevelled surfaces, in adjacent rows of said one set of rows, being less than the diameter of an average size hair roller, said cushion including upstanding air passages formed therethrough with each opening being disposed between the lower ends of a grouping of four adjacent projections arranged in a substantially square pattern.
 1. A cushion for use by a person having her hair rolled on rollers or curlers, said cushion having upwardly extending projections arranged in two sets of parallel rows of spaced projections with the rows of one set disposed at substantially right angles relative to the rows of the other set of rows and each projection being disposed in a row of each set of rows of projections, the opposing sides of the upper ends of the projections of one set of rows of projections including upwardly and inwardly bevelled surfaces, the opposing bevelled surfaces of the projections of adjacent rows of said one set of rows of projections being adapted to cradle opposite underside surface portions of hair rollers worn by a person''s head resting upon the cushion, the spacing between adjacent opposing portions of the projections below said bevelled surfaces, in adjacent rows of said one set of rows, being less than the diameter of an average size hair roller, said cushion including upstanding air passages formed therethrough with each opening being disposed between the lower ends of a grouping of four adjacent projections arranged in a substantially square pattern. 